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Commentary: The Tidings: Parents should decide on HPV vaccine, Catholic religious, medical leaders say
by user Mcs81986 Perhaps parents should be the one to determine whether their daughters can get the vaccination for Human Papillomavirus (HPV), but why should there be a debate? Don't parents want what's best for their children? Don't they want them to live long and healthy lives? So how can a vaccination, that will prevent the virus that can lead to cervical cancer, hurt their daughters? HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease, so why not try to limit it or perhaps, in the future, even eradicate it. The HPV vaccine is recommended by the CDC Committee on Immunization Practices, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and even the National Catholic Bioethics Center so what's the problem? The problem seems to be the cliche, "You can't tell me what to do." So what if it's mandated by the government, because someone else tells you to get your child vaccinated, you suddenly don't want to do it? I think the concern for your daughter's health should outweigh any juvenile grudges you hold against this government mandate. "Although the NCBC considers HPV vaccination to be morally acceptable, it has also recommended that civil authorities should leave this decision to parents and not to make such immunization mandatory at this time," the Texas bishops wrote. At this time? Which time would be better for you? 6.2 millions Americans get infected each year. Is that number too low? Do we need to see this rate to increase before you feel it necessary "make such immunization mandatory at this time"? This is for the well being of Americans and a step forward for the well being of the world. The Catholic Medical Association took a similar position as the NCBC. " However, CMA member Paul Cieslak, MD, asserted that 'making school attendance conditional on HPV vaccination does not make sense, because girls who are not vaccinated pose no threat, as they would with communicable diseases such as mumps, measles and polio, to other children attending school.'" It's not about the girl being a threat to her fellow students. It's more about: Every girl should be attending school. Every girl should get this vaccine. Since both are true, why not put them together to ensure every girl gets the vaccine. For the most part HPV won't cause any health issues in women, but there are cases where it can cause abnomral cells in the cervix that can lead to cancer. So why take the chance? It's always better to be safe than sorry. " According to the FDA, the vaccine is effective against HPV types 16 and 18, which cause approximately 70 percent of cervical cancers and against HPV types 6 and 11, which cause approximately 90 percent of genital warts." > Results of studies conducted in 21,000 HPV uninfected women between the ages of 16 and 26 in the U.S. and abroad showed that Gardasil was nearly 100 percent effective in preventing precancerous cervical lesions, precancerous vaginal and vulvar lesions, and genital warts caused by infection with HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18. > > Among the approximately 1,200 younger females ages 9-15 given the vaccine, their immune response was as good as that found in those ages 16-26. Test results done on women already infected with some HPV types included in the vaccine showed that the vaccine is only effective when given prior to infection. > > The FDA reported the safety of the vaccine was evaluated in approximately 11,000 individuals. Most adverse experiences in study participants who received Gardasil included mild or moderate local reactions, such as pain or tenderness at the injection site. This is not a bad vaccine. It has shown success with minimal side effects. So what's the problem? Some parents believe that their children would think this vaccination would remove the risk of sexual promiscuity. Children aren't completely stupid, although they may be naive at times, but even without the vaccine, it won't prevent teenagers from promiscuity. They're aware of other sexual transmitted diseases such as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). It happens and no matter how much parents tell their teenagers, there will always be some teens that will experiment. Perhaps society is assuming children will become sexually active by 7th grade, but I doubt it. It's more of the case that most children go to middle school and that's how you will get most of the girls vaccinated. For various other personal reasons, some children drop out of high school because they need to get into the workforce right away for money and other don't go to college for similar reasons. What if one of the worst imaginable things happen? What if a young girl gets raped? You never want to think about that with your own daughter, but sadly it happens. What if the rapist has HPV and the girl contracts it because she didn't have the vaccine? This can be a safeguard against physical problems based on this horrific act. Why not give a girl a vaccine that can prevent a form of cancer? They won't need to concern themselves with this virus. Parents should be for this mandatory vaccination. Is there something wrong for the government to be looking out for health concerns? __NOEDITSECTION__ Category: Opinions Category: Opinions by User Mcs81986 Category: March 6, 2007 Category: HPV Opinions Category: Cervical Cancer Opinions From The Opinion Wiki, a Wikia wiki. From The Opinion Wiki, a Wikia wiki.